-- Oct 5, 1856
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] ....At the Close of the meeting we repaired to the prayer Circle had prayers then we went unto the Font & President Brigham Young went down into the Font of water & baptized men women & children of his own family about 75 in number. Then President Heber C. Kimball went down into the water & baptized about 75 mostly of his family. Some were of my Family & others of the Twelve. Then Lorenzo Young went into the water & baptized about 25 persons making 175 persons all of which were confirmed under the Hands of H. C. Kimball J. M. Grant W. Woodruff Joseph Young J. Vancott & D. H. Wells Confirmed a few of the Last.... (1)
-- Oct 6, 1856
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] 6th Oct Conference met at the Bowery this morning at 10 oclock. ... At the Close of the meeting I went to the Font & the House of the Lord to assist in baptism & confirmation. Elder Franklin D Richards went into the Font & baptized his brethren the missionaries who had been with him & their families & Elder Lorenzo Snow & myself confirmed them about 65 in number. The spirit of God rested upon us while administering to the people. We went diret to the evening meeting as named above. (1)
-- Oct 7, 1856
[Brigham Young Letter] Thomas S. Smith -- Our conference closed this evening, there was an immense congregation, ... An excellent spirit prevailed and we think that much good has been done a general spirit of reformation rested upon the people; this caused our hearts to rejoice, and inspired us with renewed encouragement in behalf of the people, and of receiving the blessings of our God. We have finished a baptismal font near endowment house, which has been dedicated and is now used for baptisms. Many are going forward renewing their covenants before the Lord. We trust that the spirit of reformation may prevail over the entire community. There is need enough for it tor truly the people were falling asleep, becoming covetous, and the spirit of apostacy appeared to be prevalent to [a] considerable extent. It is necessary that the saints should examine themselves, and know that they are inspired by the right spirit in order to help themselves on the right track, and continue to (it is their duty as well as privilege to do) be filled with the Holy Ghost, which will guide them in the way they should go. (2)
-- 1856. December 1
(Jedediah M. Grant) : After baptizing hundreds in the cold waters of City Creek, forty-year-old Jedediah M. Grant collapsed of exhaustion and exposure. He died a few days later of pneumonia. (3)
-- Dec 30, 1856
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] 30 I met with the Legislative Council in the forenoon. ... It was finally moved that all member of the Legislative Body of the Territory of Utah repent of their sins & go to [the] font at 6 oclok On the Temple Block & be baptized for the remission of their sins which was Carried unanimously & the Legislature met at the font & had to fill it with Buckets from the Creek & as the Presidency & Twelve who had been here had been baptized F D Richards went into the font & Baptized Elder Orson Hyde & some 17 others. Then James Cumings went into the font & Baptized the rest also the missionaries 37 in number making [ ] Baptized in all. We the Twelve laid hands upon Elder O Hyde & Confirmed him. W Woodruff was mouth then we Confirmed the whole Company. I was mouth in Confirming 9 persons & assisted in Confirming 12 others.
This was a New feature in Legislation. We believed that if we Could get the spirit of God we could do business faster & better than with the spirit of the Devel or the spirit of the world. There was 55 in all Baptized and Confirmed. The Twelve done most of the Confirming. (1)
Heber C. Kimball: "It is high time for this Legislature to repent, and begin to make restitution this very afternoon, if it takes all you have got. (Brigham, Repent of your religion, I mean your forms.) We don't want no forms. Go and get the font filled, and the Twelve will be on hand to baptize you this night." (4)
[Hosea Stout Diary] Tuesday Dec 30th 1856. House met at ten ... Adjourned till tomorrow at ten a. m. and joint session met in committee of the whole on the state of the Reformation and passed an unanimous Resolution to repent of and forsake our sins and be rebaptized for their Remission and in conformity therewithwent to dinner then repaired to the Font filled it with water and some fifty-five were BaptizedI was baptized by F. D. Richards one of the Twelve and confirmed under the hands of A. P. Rockwood & Thomas Grover
There was an unusual our poring of the spirit of Gad manifested in joint session on this occasion during the Preaching of Presidents B. Young & H. C. Kimball. ... (5)
Footnotes:
1 - Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
2 - Letters of Brigham Young--Excerpts, 1856-1866, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
3 - Van Wagoner, Richard and Walker, Steven C., A Book of Mormons, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
4 - Discourses of Brigham Young
5 - Diaries of Hosea Stout
LDS History Chronology: Unconventional Baptisms
Mormon History Timeline: Forms of Rebaptism in LDS History
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
